During the Second World War, Hitler's scientists developed a new metal that was harder than any known up to that point. Germany used this element to make tools that lasted longer and could take more heat. This metal with the highest melting point of any metal was used as filaments in light bulbs and was not available in large quantities, at least not large enough to fuel the new demand for war machinery. The search for tungsten in the world brought bitter disappointment to the Allies. Before Japan was able to secure Indochina a large cargo ship from the United States slipped into Haiphong harbor, loaded tungsten from the warehouses and skirted away. The Japanese chased in pursuit but to no avail. After the war, the French held this country in their colonial grasp until the Vietnamese defeated them at Dien Bien Phu. The Geneva Accords that were accepted by the French stated that elections would be held to unify the country in 1954. When the time came for the elections, then President Eisenhower said in a White Letter that we cannot allow elections in Vietnam to transpire because Ho Chi Minh would be elected and the tin and tungsten mines were too important to us to allow them to fall into Communist hands.

China produces 23% of the worlds tungsten, 14,900 short tons yearly. The second largest producer is the Soviet Union with 9,800 short tons, and third is the United States with 4,000. General Electric is the largest purchaser in the United States.

Although small, Nicaragua has the only tungsten mines in all of Central America. Tungsten (Swedish, tung sten, heavy stone) A.K.A. Wolfram; atomic weight 183.85; atomic number 74; important deposits occur in Nevada, California, North Carolina, China, Korea, Bolivia, U.S.S.R., and Portugal.

spider 1990, 2021